Snow thrower with flexible arc deflector



Sept. 16, 1969 e. H. RUBIN SNOW THRQWER WITH FLEXIBLE ARC' DEFLECTOR Filed Nov. 10, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 may INVENTOR GEORGE H. RUBIN ATTORNEY G. H. RUBIN SNOW THROWER WITH FLEXIBLE ARC DEFLECTOR Filed Nov. 10, 1966 Sept. 16, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG]! INVENTOR GEORGE H. RUBIN BYMM a/ ATTORNEY United States Patent US. CI. 37-43 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for removing snow deposited in depth on a surface, and for projecting it in a variety of directions controlled by the operator in such manner that a minimum likelihood of clogging of the snow removal mechanism results. Removal and projection are produced through use of a rotary impeller which forces the snow against an adjustable deflector system. Such deflector system employs elements of the impeller housing such that the removed snow contacts the internal elements of the housing only to the extent necessary to obtain the desired directional deflection. Particularly, the device provides for emission of snow across the entire length of the rotary impeller thus eliminating compaction of snow into an opening more restricted than the impeller length as it passes from the impeller through the housing immediately following contact with the impeller.

This invention relates to snow-removing devices and more particularly, to a rotary apparatus designed to project snow at a distance.

A major object of this invention is to provide a snow thrower having a relatively unrestricted snow outlet while incorporating a facility for projecting snow in an accurately controlled manner for substantial distances.

A further object of this invention is to provide a snow thrower having a flexible deflector with multiple adjustments to project snow forwardly and/or laterally at a variety of distances.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a snow thrower having a snow deflector system which comprises'a flexible extension of the impeller enclosure.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a snow thrower which emits snow forwardly and laterally across the entire length of the rotor such that clogging due to outlet restriction is virtually impossible.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like character references refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views.

For purposes of illustration, two embodiments of the invention are shown in the attached drawings wherein FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the first embodiment of the snow thrower showing the snow deflector in a partially raised position.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the first embodiment of the snow thrower showing the snow deflector lowered sufliciently to provide substantial restriction of the forward opening in the impeller enclosure.

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation of the first embodiment of the snow thrower showing the snow deflector in full lines in horizontal position and showing the same snow deflector rotated from the horizontal, in dotted lines.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective of the snow deflector of the first embodiment of the snow thrower in position as shown in FIGURE 1, showing generally the deflector as viewed from the front.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective of the snow deflector of the first embodiment of the snow thrower in position as shown in FIGURE 4, showing generally the deflector as viewed from the rear when mounted for rotation on the snow thrower frame.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the arm to which the snow deflector is fixed for rotation on the snow thrower frame of the first embodiment.

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation of the second embodiment of the snow thrower with the partial impeller enclosure thereof broken away sufficiently to show the method of attachment of the snow deflector to the snow thrower frame.

FIGURE 8 is a front elevation of the second embodiment of the snow thrower.

FIGURE 9 is a cross sectional view of the snow deflector adjustment lever of the second embodiment of the snow thrower taken along the lines 99 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 10 is a cross sectional view of the jointed area of the upper end of the snow deflector of the second embodiment of the snow thrower taken along the lines 1010 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged partial side view of the jointed area of the upper end of the snow deflector of the second embodiment of the snow thrower, taken along the lines 1111 of FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 12 is a cross section of the jointed area of the upper end of the snow deflector of the second embodiment of the snow thrower, taken along the lines 1212 of FIGURE 10.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein similar references characters represent corresponding parts throughout, it will be seen that in FIGURE 1, frame 25 and rear wheels 27 serve as a carrier on which is mounted power source 21 having output sheave 22 and shaft 17. Impeller housing 34 is mounted on the front of frame 25. Said housing 34 consists of a first impeller enclosure member comprising a forwardly projecting section 26 terminating in upwardly projecting member 24, and snow deflector 8 hereinafter described, and second impeller enclosure members 1 secured to the edges of section 26. A front wheel 4 is attached to the lower front corner of each enclosure member 1. FIGURE 4 shows arcuate snow deflector 8, comprising a fixed deflector section 7 and an outer flexible deflector section 3, said deflector being pivotally mounted on off-set plate 23 of upwardly projecting member 24. Sheave 22 mounted on the end of shaft 17 drives shaft 16 and a sprocket wheel 20, said latter shaft being journaled in plate 14 fixed to impeller enclosure member 1. Circular toothed discs 28 are fixed to shaft 15 for rotation therewith, said shaft and discs comprising impeller 13 which opens without restriction to deflector section 3 throughout its entire length source 21 functions exclusively to drive impeller assembly 13. It is evident that said power source will perform other conventional functions as, for example, driving wheels 27 through a conventional propulsion system, as is common in snow throwers of this type.

Snow deflector 8 is rigidly attached to flexible arm 12 by brace 6 and by appropriate means as by Welding at the lower end of fixed deflector section 7. Said snow deflector 8 and flexible arm 12 are pivotally mounted on off-set plate 23 on back wall 24 by pivot pin 11, and held in desired position of rotating about said pivot pin 11 by locking means consisting of stud 10 insertable in the appropriate one of a series of holes 9 arranged on the outer edge of said off-set plate 23 (see FIGURES 3 and 5).

Snow deflector lever 2 is inserted in opening 32 in flexible arm 12 (see FIGURE 6) and pivotally attached at its forward end to link 30. Said link 30 is rigidly attached to bar 5 which is fixed to the end portion of outer deflector section 3.

Outer deflector section 3 is flexed up and down as deflector lever 2 is withdrawn from and inserted into said opening 32, and said outer deflector section 3 is fixed in position by lowering the appropirate notch 31 onto bar 33 fixed to arm 12 across opening 32.

Returning now to FIGURE 1, it will be seen that as impeller 13 rotates, it forces snow against plate 26, and said snow is directed against snow deflector 8. Snow deflector 8 is shown in said FIGURE 1 as being substantially horizontal to the surface on which the snow thrower rests. However, inasmuch as said snow deflector 8 can be pivoted either clockwise or counterclockwise about pivot pin 11, the operator can selectively cause the moving snow to be diverted either to the left or the right of the machine, and the distance which said snow will be projected will be directly related to the degree of rotation of said snow deflector 8. Likewise, when the operator desires to project snow generally in front of the snow thrower, snow deflector lever 2 can be withdrawn a desired distance from opening 32 thereby raising outer deflector section 3 removing restriction against forward movement of snow.

Page 2 of the drawings shows the second embodiment of the snow thrower. FIGURE 7 shows impeller housing 67 with second impeller enclosure members 41 fixed rigidly to first impeller enclosure member consisting of plate 46 attached to upwardly projecting flexible section 44 by bolts 40 and fitted for fore and aft movement between second impeller enclosure members 41 throughout the entire length of impeller 13. Flexible section 44 is fixed to chute 48. Snow deflector lever 42 is pivotally attached to said chute 48 at lug 49, and controlled by clamp bolt 50 in clamp nut 51, the latter fixed to clamp frame 52 mounted on an upward extension of frame 55 (not shown). A rotatable member shown as hood 53 comprises a partially enclosed casing mounted on collar 56 on chute 48 by clamps 57 and 58 (FIGS. 10, 11 and 12). Clamp 58 has lugs 65 (FIG. 12) between which is pivoted lever 59 by pivot pin 60, said lever being engaged with one of a series of notches 61 in collar 56 when gravity acts on knob 62, and disengaged to rotate said hood 53 to the desired position relative to chute 48, when said knob 62 is lifted. Impeller 63 functions in identical manner as does impeller 13 of the first embodiment. Chute 48 operates to restrict the movement of such snow by diverting it to the desired height as determined by positioning said chute 48 through advancing or retracting snow deflector lever 42 and fixing it in position. Lateral direction of the snow is controlled by rotation of hood 53 to position its side opening in the direction of desired snow deposit.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the present invention is a useful advance in the art in that it enables an operator to selectively apply restriction on snow as it moves within the partial enclosure surrounding the impeller without use of a fixed enclosure about said impeller. The absence of an enclosure about much of the impeller has removed a major cause of snow thrower clogging. In addition, by eliminating such enclosure, manufacturing simplicity and maintenance convenience is achieved.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a snow thrower comprising:

a frame;

a source of power mounted on said frame;

an impeller housing comprising a first impeller enclosure member mounted on said frame with a forwardly projecting section and a flexible upwardly projecting section in the form of an are having variable radius, and second impeller enclosure members mounted on opposite edges of said first impeller enclosure member;

an impeller mounted for rotation within said impeller housing;

control means for selectively varying the radius of said upwardly projecting section across the entire length of said impeller and thereby varying the distance between said upwardly projecting section and said impeller; locking means to fix said upwardly projecting section in position; and

means for transmitting power from said power source to said impeller.

2. In a snow thrower as described in claim 1 in which said means for selectively varying the radius of said upwardly projecting section consists of:

a flexible arm;

a lever connected to the upwardly projecting member;

and

a bar for engagement with notches in said lever to hold said lever in fixed relation with respect to said arm.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,638,150 8/ 1927 Eberhardt.

1,638,708 8/ 1927 Saxon.

1,820,707 8/ 1931 Moen et a1.

2,508,829 5/1950 Lamy.

2,736,111 2/ 1956 Moen.

2,865,491 12/1958 Schiller 37-43 3,045,369 7/1962 Howe.

3,303,588 2/1967 Krause 37-43 3,213,552 10/1965 Vanvick 3743 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner E. H. EICKl-IOLT, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 193-25 

